Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving wasn't quite a palooza but it was still a party.  We originally planned on making dinner and celebrating with Aunt Nessie then Andrew informed me he wanted a full Thanksgiving meal. I decided we should invite Helen and Kevin and the boys over since we knew they wouldn't be going anywhere due to their family all living outside the United States. Helen's mother and father were in town and so they joined us also.  

I got a phone call sometime a few days before Thanksgiving from Helen saying another friend of ours was looking for a home on Thanksgiving. We invited them (or rather they invited themselves) and we moved to a full on Thanksgiving party.  

I created a menu and divided up the sides to Helen and Elizabeth. Our responsibility was the turkey, mashed potatoes, frozen rolls and frozen egg noodles. I am a genius.  Aunt Nessie found a recipe for our turkey and prepared him and cooked him to absolute perfection - even without an operating meat thermometer. 

Pre-cooked bird and the finished product.  Masterpiece. 

We planned on seating the adults in the dining room and then seating the kids in the kitchen but we were sure we'd never sit down b/c we would be running back and forth for some kids need.  We decided to bring in the picnic table and put them within eyesight and throwing sight of anything they might need. 

The kids were excited to have a picnic as evidenced by Miss M's face. 

Gabe loves his Madelyn.  They played together all day/night. Spencer got a little jealous that his best friend/brother wasn't playing with him as much as he was playing with Mads.

 Spencer didn't make the picture b/c he was still mad at Gabe.

 The meal was divine. Everything was amazing and came together perfectly all at the same time.  It was truly perfection.  Everyone helped in making it all come together. We even put Helen's mother, Liz, to work and had her whip us up some gravy.

Helen's mother and Miss Cate were good friends. She liked having a baby to hold and Miss Cate was calm and quite rested in her arms.

 Group pic of all the kids plus me.

 Me and my kiddos.  So much love in one little picture.

Another Thanksgiving in the books.  It truly was a wonderful day.

Oh - Miss Cate turned 12 weeks on Thanksgiving and as a birthday present to her we took her to the gym and signed her up for child care. When we picked her up they had managed to get her to go to sleep. Next time I am in there I am asking the guy if he wants to babysit.